Biotechnology
Chromosome: a threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells, carrying genetic information in the form of genes.
Locus of a chromosome: In genetics, a locus is a specific, fixed position on a chromosome where a particular gene or genetic marker is located.
Meiosis: a type of cell division that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell, as in the production of gametes and plant spores.
Crossing over: A cellular process that happens during meiosis when chromosomes of the same type are lined up.
What is biotechnology?
Biotechnology is the technology that uses biological systems or living organisms to create new and different products.
Gene: a unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.
DNA and gene recombination
DNA Recombination: it’s a process where different pieces of DNA strands are broken up and recombined to create new alleles.
Gene Recombination: it’s the exchange of genetic material between different chromosomes or different regions of a chromosome.
DNA sequence: it's a laboratory technique that helps to determine the exact sequence of nucleotides, or bases, in a DNA molecule (picture 1)
Picture 1
Sequence of bases: Two bases that contain nitrogen or nucleotides that get paired together to form the structure of DNA.
Sequence of nucleotides: is a sequence of bases signified by a series of a set of five different letters that shows the order of the nucleotides that are forming alleles within a DNA (using GACT) or RNA (GACU) molecules.
Enzymes: a substance produced by a living organism, which increases the rate of a catalyst.
Catalyst: a catalyst is a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a faster rate.
Protein synthesis: it's a biological process that happens inside cells, which balances the loss of cellular proteins through the production of new proteins.
RNA: ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid present in all living cells. Its principal role is to act as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins, although in some viruses RNA rather than DNA carries the genetic information.
DNA: a self-replicating material that is present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.
Transcription of DNA: its a process where the information that a strand of DNA has is copied and pasted into a new molecule of messenger RNA.
Translation of DNA: it's a process where the genetic code that a messenger (RNA) molecule has, is decoded in order to produce a very specific sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.
Polypeptide chain: it's a continuous and unbranched chain of amino acids that are joined by peptide bonds.
Peptide bonds: it's a chemical bond between two molecules. This happens when the carboxyl group of a molecule reacts with the amino group of other molecule, leading to the releasement a molecule of water.
Amino Acids: they are molecules that get with each other to form proteins.
Genetic code: it's the sequence of nucleotides in DNA and RNA that determines the amino acid sequence of proteins.
Nucleotides: is one of the structural components / building blocks that DNA and RNA have (adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine).
Cell cycle: it's a process that every cell goes through each time it divides. It consists of some steps where the chromosomes and other materials of the cell doubles in order to make two copies. Then the cell divides into two daughter cells, where each receives one copy of the previous doubled material.
Prokaryotic cell sexual reproduction: the way they sexually reproduce is through conjugation. This process is where one bacterium transfers their genetic material to another bacterium through direct contact, this could even be compared to human/animal sexual reproduction, since one bacterium is the donor, while the other serves as the recipient.
Nucleus and nucleolus of the cell
Nucleus: is where the genetic material of a cell is kept, and it regulates the cell expression.
Genetic material: it's the part of the cell that carries the genetic information that can be inherited.
Cell Expression: It's the process where a gene gets transformed into a cell in order to make RNA and proteins.
Nucleolus: it is a distinct structure that the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell has. It assembles the ribosomes, alternates the transfer of RNA and senses cellular stress.
Nucleus of the eukaryotic cell: its a feature that makes the eukaryotic different from the prokaryotic cell. Which houses the cell's genome, Some of its functions is to serve both as the repository of genetic information and as the cell's control center.
Ribosomes: It's a structure that's is found inside the cells which is involved in making proteins. Ribosomes are the ones that help amino acids to link together in order to form proteins .
Nuclear stress:
Plasmid: a small DNA strand usually located in the cytoplasm of a bacteria or protozoa. It can replicate independently of the chromosomes.
Cytoplasm: its a liquid composed of water, salts and various organic molecules that fills the inside of a cell.
Cloning: it's a process used to genetically replicate a cell, tissue, and in general, an organism.
